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Howdy,

Any fan knows that quarterback is as hard to play as any position in sports. They have to be able to read defenses, change play calls at the line of scrimmage, not flinch as a defender is about to level them while they wait for a receiver to get open, throw into tight spaces, etc.

Senior Elijah Parker has felt the stress that comes with being a quarterback this season as the new starter for Norwich Free Academy.

“There’s a lot of pressure, but lately I’ve been learning how to cope with pressure and stuff,” Parker said after last Friday’s 41-26 win over East Lyme.

Parker was in a tougher spot than some other first-year quarterbacks because Shea McManaway had run that position as well as anyone in the region the previous two seasons before graduating last spring.

There’s an even bigger reason as to why Parker has felt pressure.

“I have anxiety,” Parker said.

Anxiety and being a high school quarterback don’t exactly go well together, but Parker has pushed through. He completed 14 of 23 passes for 228 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in last Friday’s Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I opener. He can also scoot as he ran 10 times for 40 yards to help the Wildcats improve to 3-1.

Oddly enough, Parker has found that being quarterback can be therapeutic.

“Being put in this position helps me with my anxiety,” Parker said. “The coaches always stay on me. If they see me get down, they tell me to snap out of it. My teammates know. They know me. They really believe in me. … My teammates bring me up.”

NFA head coach Jason Bakoulis said, “That’s what’s impressive about what he’s doing. He’s fighting that. People wouldn’t know. It’s impressive how he fights through that every day.”

• • • •

The significance of New London's 13-8 win over Fitch at Cannamela Field on Saturday went beyond the renewal of a rivalry or divisional game.

It was a survival game for state playoff purposes.

The winner — New London — went to 3-1 and remained afloat in a crowded Class L field. There are seven unbeaten teams to date and six others with one loss. The Whalers are ranked 11th out of 35 teams.

Fitch (2-2), meanwhile, is ranked 18th and must win out to even maintain hope.

This is the ninth season of the CIAC’s four eight-team division playoff format.

Six of the previous eight years had 10-game regular seasons.

Just 18 teams with three-or-more losses qualified in those six seasons. That's 9.8 percent of the 192 participants.

Class L has been one of the most unfriendly to 7-3 teams over those six seasons. Three 7-3 teams qualified in 2016. That's it. Only Class LL has had fewer 7-3 qualifiers (two).

“Our motivation right now is a championship,” New London senior Jacob Commander said. “We want to at least make the playoffs and go from there. That’s our goal. That’s what is driving us. People aren’t just getting to practice on time now, but early.”

New London and Fitch both have byes this week before hosting crossovers games against Southern Connecticut Conference teams on Friday, Oct. 12. New London plays Hillhouse (0-4), while Fitch faces Wilbur Cross (2-2).

• • • •

High school sports are filled with two-or-three sport athletes.

It’s a safe bet that Thames River’s Steven Torres is the only football/boxer around these here parts.

Torres, a senior who attends Grasso Tech, won a National Silver Gloves championship when he was a 10th grader. He decided to play football this season for Thames River, a co-op with players from Grasso Tech, Norwich Tech and St. Bernard, and has done well playing left defensive end.

“He’s a man-child,” Thames head coach Darin Jones said after Saturday's 20-6 win over the MCW United co-op. “He came out two years ago and was here for about a week-or-so because it interfered too much with his boxing. He came out this year because he wanted to play.

“He’s evolving every week. … He’s a game changer. Nobody wants to run to his side, and it puts a smile on my face that we have these kids.”

• • • •

Ledyard introduced its latest Football Hall of Fame class to the crowd Friday night at Bill Mignault Field.

Among the honorees is 2012 graduate Alex Manwaring, who is living in Boston and working for a software company there.

Manwaring was telling his boss about taking the train home Friday for the occasion and showed him the bio written for the Hall of Fame.

“My boss says, ‘you really carried the ball 389 times your senior year?’” Manwaring said, laughing.

• • • •

Programming notes:

• Waterford plays at Griswold on Monday night (6:30). Their game was postponed last Friday because the latter’s field was flooded.

• It’s going to be a bit quiet around these here parts this upcoming weekend because most area teams will be taking their bye week in accordance to CIAC rules (byes must be taken in weeks 4-6).

The region’s lone games will be Amistad at Montville (Friday, 6:30 p.m.), Vinal Tech/Goodwin Tech/Whitney Tech at Thames River (Saturday, 11 a.m.), and Valley Regional/Old Lyme at Old Saybrook/Westbrook (Saturday, 2 p.m.).

• Thanks to TEAM DAY member Mike DiMauro for the notes from Ledyard-Montville, and New London-Fitch.

• • • •

Thanks for reading.

We encourage you to check out the state variant of the Lonesome Polecat blog, which shall await you Tuesday morning.

Should you enjoy all this football jibber-jabber, then please visit www.theday.com and download the Lonesome Podcat, a companion piece to the Lonesome Polecat. It should also be posted online Tuesday morning if not sooner.

Adios.